GAY PEOPLE's ChroNICLE APRIL 4, 1997

A little bit of time

To the Editors:

COMMUNITY FORUM

The recent article by Doreen Cudnik concerning the Robbie Kirkland tragedy and her recent follow-up editorial [Feb. 21 and March 21] have been both timely and thought-provoking because it once again illustrates the importance of an open line of communication between parent, student and school.

Her challenge to St. Ignatius High School to "walk the walk" is indeed a challenge to all of our educational institutions to combat the culture of hate and open up to the needs of the youth who might be struggling with very private concerns. Just as sexual identification is a very personal matter, so too should be the assistance we adults provide. We must put aside our personal agendas and biases to consider what is really important—the well being of the student. It is only then that we can be truly helpful.

And so, the challenge to "walk the walk" extends to all of us who have a desire to foster truth. To parents it means teaching your children from a very early age that all men

THE OPEN PRAIRIE by Joe Noover

A.RECENT

NO CONDOM?!

的

YOU DRIVE A

SPOTLESS VOLVO WITH AIR BAGS.

I TRUST YOU!

13-97.

Noover

STUDY SHOWS THAT MEN OFTEN JUDGE THE HIV STATUS OF THEIR LOVERS ON SUPERFICIAL THINGS SUCH AS PERSONAL HYGIENE, DECORATION OF HOME & TALK OF THE FUTURE.

and women have dignity and that the true evil way to go, guys!

comes not from them, but from those who would deny them that right.

To educators it means getting out from behind the desk and listening to those we have dedicated ourselves to teach and to remember that we teach people, not subjects. It means taking a strong stand in our personal and professional lives to eradicate the atmosphere that is so prevalent in our schools.

And to students it means being courageous and standing up against any hatred overheard or taught at school. It means, if you are hurting, to carefully open yourself up to someone you can trust so that you might know that you are not alone in your struggle.

If we accept this challenge, we can work miracles. The answer seems so simplepersonal care. It doesn't take highly financed government programs or marches down the street; all it takes is a little bit of time and a whole lot of love.

Richard D. Fujimoto Cleveland

Fujimoto teaches English at St. Ignatius High School.

To the Editors:

I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank some individuals for their unsolicited contributions to programs of the Lesbian-Gay Community Service Center. These people were touched by events outside of themselves, and took the initiative to act in support of our youth program, PRYSM, and the Living Room, a drop-in center for people living with HIV/AIDS. They are an example of human nature at its best.

Thanks go first to Bob Navis, Jr. who performs Broadway show tunes at the Harmony Bar and Grill. On March 15 Bob passed around the tip jar at his performance asking for donations in honor of Robbie Kirkland. The people at the show responded with great generosity and they raised $65 in memory of Robbie. This money will be used for the Center's PRYSM program which supports and empowers young gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

Our second "thank you" goes to two teenagers from Chagrin Falls who wanted to do something about AIDS. So these two moti-

http://www.visi.com/-oprairie

Email: oprairie@visi.com

Web Site:

vated youths organized a dance party as a benefit to the Living Room, complete with food, AIDS prevention information, and our very own Brian Gill as guest speaker. This event raised almost $600 for the Living Room and raised some awareness about AIDS in their community. Way to go guys!

We are very proud of all the individuals who helped to make these efforts successful. Thanks!

Linda Malicki, Executive Director Lesbian and Gay Community Service Center of Cleveland

Community Forum

The Chronicle encourages everyone to write and express your opinion about the community or the paper. Please, however, keep letters constructive, and avoid namecalling and personal attacks. Please be brief. We reserve the right to edit letters. We will print your name unless you specifically ask

us not to.

Letters must include a street address and phone, for verification only. They can be sent via U.S. mail, fax, or E-mail to the addresses in the masthead above.

Feds pass first law to include gays

Ten years ago, KWIR Publications took over the Gay People's Chronicle, which had ceased publication following the death of founder Charles Callendar. These are some of the stories appearing in April issues since then.

April, 1989

The Hate Crimes Statistics Act was introduced in Congress. The bill required the Justice Dept. to keep records on hate

GPC's Arrive in

a plain envelope

crimes, including those against gays and lesbians. When it passed later that year, it became the first federal law to include the words "sexual orientation."

April, 1990

A group of lesbian and gay activists formed a new political group, named Stonewall Cleveland after groups in Columbus and Cincinnati.

A bill to prohibit adoption by lesbians

"Dear Gay People's Chronicle,

I live miles away from the big city but I still want to keep up on the news and entertainment of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community. What should I do?!!..."

SUBSCRIBE!

13 Issues for $15.00 or 25 Issues for $30.00

If you'd like to receive the GPC first class mail (faster service). $21.50 for 13 Issues or $42.50 for 25 Issues. Enclosed is my check for $

1 Name

Address

City

State

for

Zip

Issues

Send coupon with payment to: GPC, P.O. Box 5426, Cleveland, Ohio 44101

or gay men, introduced by State Sen. Gary Suhadolnik, R-Parma Hts., was stalled in committee. He vowed to reintroduce it again and again if it failed, which it eventually did. April, 1991

Cracker Barrel, a chain of 90 restaurants with several in Ohio, made a company policy that it would only employ poeple with "normal heterosexual values" and then fired nine gay and lesbian employees. After weeks of protests and sit-ins, the company retracted the policy, but did not rehire the workers.

Representatives of the Cleveland LesbianGay Center met with Cuyahoga County'

PUBLISHING

GAN PROPLES CHRONICLE

Volume 12, Issue 20

PUBLISHING

THE BAY PEOP

IWIR

A DECADE

CHRONICLE

Published by

KWIR Publications, Inc. ISSN 1070-177X

Publisher: Business Manager: Managing Editor: Associate Editor:

Reporters & Writers:

Martha J. Pontoni Patti Harris Doreen Cudnik Brian DeWitt Bob Boone,

John Graves, Nels P. Highberg,

Eric W. Hunter, Kaizaad Kotwal, Dawn Leach, M.T. Martone

Art Director:

Photographers: Barbara Bodemer, LeeAnn McGuire Christine Hahn Lynn Williamson David A. Ebbert Rivendell Marketing 212-242-6863 David A. Ebbert 800-426-5947

Production Assistant: Advertising Manager: National Advertising:

The Gay People's Chronicle is dedicated to providing a space in the Ohio lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community for all of its members to communicate and be involved with each other. This means that every Chronicle, to the best of its ability, will be equally dedicated to both men's and women's issues, as well as issues that affect the entire community. This balance will provide lesbians and gay men with a forum to air grievances and express joys.

The Guy People's Chronicle is copyrighted under federal law. Any reproduction of its contents is prohibited unless permission is obtained.

Any material submitted for publication will be subject to cditing. The Chronicle cannot guarantee return of any such materials unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

The Guy People's Chronicle is not responsible for claims made by advertisers. We reserve the right to reject advertising which is unsuitable for our publication.

P.O. Box 5426 Cleveland, OH 44101 216-631-8646

Fax: 216-631-1052 Toll Free: 800-426-5947 E-Mail: chronohio@aol.com

Next Chronicle comes out Friday, April 18

The Gay People's Chronicle is published every other Friday, except the first issues in January and June. Display ad and article deadlines are 10 to 12 days prior to publication. Call for specific dates. Calendar, Classified, and Personal deadlines are earlier, and are shown in each of those sections. Advertisers:

Call, fax, or write for rate sheets and information, to the numbers in the masthead above. Subscriptions:

Subscriptions are 13 issues for $15.00, and 25 issues (1 year) for $30.00, sent in a plain envelope. (For faster first-class delivery, add $6.50 for 13 issues, 12.50 for 25 issues to cover extra postage.) Mail check or money order with your address to the Chronicle, P.O. Box 5426, Cleveland 44101.

The Senate Armed Services Committee held hearings on gays in the military. Many activists said the witness list was stacked to favor the anti-gay side. The hearings eventually led to a “compromise" between President Clinton's original proposal to allow gays and lesbians to serve openly, which he had backed away from, and the existing total ban. This "compromise" evolved into the present "don't ask, don't tell" rule.

THE GAY PEOPLE'S

KWIR

A DECADE

Metroparks officials to discuss long-standing allegations of plainclothes park rangers propositioning gay men, then arresting them if they showed interest.

April, 1993

Minnesota became the eighth state to pass a gay and lesbian civil rights law, joining Hawaii, California, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont. Rhode Island later brought the total to nine.

CHRONICLE

April 8, 1994

A Mexican gay man, who said he was regularly harassed and raped by police there, became the first person granted asylum in the U.S. from anti-gay per secution. The Immigration and Naturalization Service granted asylum under an existing rule covering gov ernment persecution of members of a "social group." The INS had not previously considered gays and lesbians such a group.

April 21, 1995

Susan Bader resigned her post as board president of Stonewall Union of Colum bus after the board shut down a minority outreach program. The board voted not to accept a $10,000 state grant for the program, saying that it was beyond Stonewall's capabilities.